Christopher Hitchens, Why Orwell Matters “Whether thinking about empires or dictators, race or class, nationalism or pop culture, Orwell’s outlook remains indispensable even in a vastly changed world.” From this extract from the book’s back cover, as from the title itself, I admit I was hoping for an exposition of Orwell’s relevance to contemporary politics. […]

November 8th, 2013 | by
Maarten | published in Boeken Maarten | Comments Off on Christopher Hitchens, Why Orwell Matters

“I sometimes feel as if George Orwell requires extricating from under a pile of saccharine tablets and moist hankies,” writes Christopher Hitchens in Why Orwell Matters, a brilliant exhumation of a misunderstood hero. How does one get at a figure like Orwell, whose very name has entered the modern lexicon, his legacy permeating popular consciousness as a symbol of both radical conscience and moral authority?

Whether puncturing the lies of politicians, wittily dissecting the English character or telling unpalatable truths about war, Orwell’s timeless, uncompromising essays are more relevant, entertaining and essential than ever in today’s era of spin.